10 August 2026
Tea Break Tour with Sonali Shah
Tea Break Tour is all about the people behind our brands. Every show, every story and every connection with our audiences starts with a person and this series is a chance to pause, put the kettle on and recognise the talent and creativity that brings Bauer to life. From audio and publishing to teams across the wider business, Tea Break Tour celebrates the personalities you hear, read and see every day, sharing the stories and moments you don’t always get when the mic is live or the day gets busy.
Sonali Shah takes on the Tea Break Tour! Over a tea break, the Magic Radio presenter shares the secret to her perfect cup of chai, why she loves the slower pace of weekend radio and some of the standout moments from her career – from helping Helen Mirren with her dress to talking Arsenal with Kate Hudson and sledging Hugh Jackman on the first day of the Ashes.
First off, how do you take your tea?
With a little bit of this! This is my secret chai masala that’s always in my bag here in the studio. It has cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and lots of spices just to, well, spice up my tea and turn it into a chai.
Do you have one of those when you host your Magic Radio show?
I start with black coffee because it’s very early on a Sunday morning, so I definitely start with one or two cups of black coffee just to wake me up, and then I’m on to the chai.
If you could describe your radio show in three words, what would they be?
Definitely sleepy. I mean, it’s before seven that I get in on a Sunday morning, so I’m sort of gently waking up with the audience. Intimate, because some people are still in bed, and cheeky, just because that’s part of my personality. It wouldn’t be my show without a little bit of cheek.
What’s the best thing about being on the radio at the weekend?
Everyone’s in a different kind of mood. Even if they’re working, you’re in a different mood because you’re not necessarily rushing everywhere. And there’s something nice about that. It’s that slowness of pace that is very different from hosting a breakfast show in the weekday.
Fun fact, I have never been in the lifts in this building because I’m too scared to. Because what if I get stuck in it and then we have dead air? It’s something someone told me when I started my career more than 25 years ago. They said, you’re better off huffing and puffing getting to a studio than not being there at all, so never get in a lift before you’re due into a studio. I have never forgotten that, so I’m always using the stairs.
What’s been the proudest moment of your career so far?
I think getting my own radio show on Magic was just an unexpected surprise and came at an amazing time. It was during COVID when we weren’t able to really travel for work, see each other or feel connected like we used to. And then I was offered my own show. It felt like all of those worries about not being connected went away because I felt like I could be in people’s homes without actually having to be in people’s homes, keep people company and just try and bring a bit of joy at a time which was really tough.
You’ve had some brilliant people join you on Magic. Is there a favourite guest you’ve had?
You can’t pick a favourite, can you? It’s like your child. Well, actually, with my children, I do have favourites! But I’ve had some lovely moments over the last year, things like helping Helen Mirren adjust the tag in her dress, talking about Arsenal with Kate Hudson or sledging Hugh Jackman, the big Aussie that he is, on the first day of the Ashes. Those are things that you cannot plan and cannot wish for. But when they happen, it may be better than the birth of your first child. Don’t tell my children.
We’ve talked about the highlights, but what about a moment where everything went wrong?
Oh, any time Mel Giedroyc has been in the studio with me! When she used to host the Magic Radio Request Show after me on a Sunday, you did not know what was going to come out of that lady’s mouth.She’d enter the studio and I used to think she was sent there with some sort of test so they could see what I could bat away. Everything was always funny and I hope the audience found it funny too. I love being in a studio with people, which is always a treat because my show is solo, so I don’t really get to do that.
What’s one thing listeners don’t know about you?
Because my job is so chatty-chatty and I love talking to people, I’m super nosy, I love hearing people’s stories and helping tell them, but I actually do need a lot of time on my own. So my favourite thing to do outside of a studio is just potter about my home with a cup of chai and just be by myself.
Before we go, what’s the perfect tea break snack?
Oh, anything with chocolate, because then you get a little flavour of chocolate with your chai.
